The inaugural “I Have a Dream” parade and ceremony in celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was truly a memorable day for Lancaster. With more than 45 entries participating in the parade, as well as an estimated 200 in attendance for the ceremony, folks braved the cold to come out and honor a great leader.

I want to express my gratitude and thanks for the support and love that you have shown me. Thank you for the opportunity of allowing me to live and work in Lancaster for 15 years.

My name is Jose Gavarrete. I was born in 1978. I am the sixth child in a family of 10. My father was executed by the armed forces in the mountains of Honduras in March 1983 and to this day we do not know the truth of the case.

In Luke 15, when flagrant sinners came to Jesus to hear his teaching, he was severely criticized by the religious leaders of his day.

In response, Jesus taught three parables that reveal the seeking heart of God.

The first parable was about a lost sheep. Its shepherd left his flock to look for it, and when he found it, he carried it back on his shoulders, rejoicing. He then called his friends and neighbors to rejoice with him over his discovery.

Michael Jedson’s response, “It’s time to separate fact from fiction about ACA,” to my and W.B. Evan’s articles sought to separate fact from fiction.

Jedson began with Mr. Evan’s article and suggest that it is Mr.Evan’s fault for not being able to afford the huge co-pay for drug coverage. But the fact is, the ACA is supposed to be the “affordable” care act.

With the recent announcement of Keer America choosing to locate its new facility in Lancaster County, questions have been raised about the incentives that can be offered to companies (both domestic and foreign) to locate in South Carolina.

At the first Lancaster County Council meeting of 2014, county officials continued their own local version of the big government decision process. A fee increase on businesses was proposed without any studies or projections. The proposal will affect business owners in the Indian Land and Pleasant Valley fire protection districts.

While I am sure Ralph and Bonnie Lawrance have good intentions, their column, “S.C. should expand its Medicaid,” published in the Jan. 17 edition of The Lancaster News, is nothing but another Democrat we-want-more-free-stuff rant.

This is a response to two articles written about “Obamacare” in the Jan. 8 edition of The Lancaster News opinion section – one by W.B. Evans, “Medicine cost more, thanks to Obamacare” and Brooks Walker’s “Inconsistencies abound in Obamacare promises”

Per Mr. Evans’ article, he fails to mention if he is on a traditional Medicare policy and if he has a Medigap policy. He states that he has to “cough up a huge co-pay,” meaning he has an inferior policy or didn’t buy the right one for his needs.

MSNBC has a graph that shows the United States spends $239 billion more than China, United Kingdom, France, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Germany, India and Brazil combined.

If $239 billion could be cut and spent elsewhere (partially to make up for any economic losses), then what could be done with an extra trillion every four years to improve the lives of those who rely on the safety net to stay alive?